Endosulfan

Today, I want to tell you a true story of extraordinary courage. The past week, I was in Kasaragod, a district in Kerala, splendid in beauty and with abundant natural resources, but destroyed by the toxic chemical, endosulfan. The pesticide was aerially sprayed over cashew plantations, for some 20 years, in complete disregard of the fact that there is no demarcation between plantations and human habitation in this area. It is also a high rainfall region and so, the sprayed pesticide leached into the ground and flowed downstream.

We, the Participants of the National Workshop, that assembled under the Chairmanship of Sri P Karunakaran, MP and that was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of the Kerala State, Sri Oommen Chandy and consisted of the People's representatives and leaders, activists and members of social, cultural, health and environmental organisations, experts in various fields, the victims and survivors of the endosulfan induced tragedy, the District administration and

The agriculture ministry, on behalf of the centre, has recommended that endosulfan be allowed in the country instead of disposing it.According to the affidavit filed by the centre, in the Supreme Court, the cost of disposing endosulfan will cost the exchequer Rs 210 crore.

The West Bengal government on December 31 sanctioned funds of rs 6 crore for the cleaning up of the Karala river flowing through Jalpaiguri in the state. The government swung into action after the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute confirmed that presence of abnormally high rate of endosulfan in the Karala river that killed thousands of fish belonging to 33 species. This was reported on November 28.

The Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) today filed an interim application in the Supreme Court seeking permission to export the existing stock of endosulfan formulations.

The Supreme Court met today to decide what needed to be done with the unused stock of endosulfan as well as propose alternatives for endosulfan. The endosulfan manufacturers requested for a four week period to submit their proposal to dispose the pesticide. The petitioners, Democratic Youth Federation of India, too will file an affidavit on how, they believe the stocks should be disposed. No call was taken on the alternatives for endosulfan yet. The court will meet again on Nov 11.

The Supreme Court has allowed the exports of 1090.596 MT of technical grade endosulfan for which export orders were received prior to the ban on May 13. But it has reiterated its earlier order, banning the use, sale and production of the pesticide.